The Ultimate Guide to Colour Correcting Concealers

From pink and green to yellow and orange, each colour correcting concealer works in a slightly different way to provide your skin with the coverage it needs. Read our ultimate guide below to discover more about the various colour correcting concealers that are available and how you should apply them to give you that flawless finish.

Green

As green is the opposite of red on the colour wheel, using this type of concealer over troublesome areas will help to neutralise any spots or discolouration. Green hues can range from light mint right through to darker green. The intensity of the green that is right for you will depend on your skin shade and tone - whether it is warm or cold.

Use a green concealer sparingly and don’t cake it on – only apply it to the areas that need it most. For best results, take care to blend the concealer well and then add a layer of natural coloured foundation over the top.

Purple

Purple concealer is another great item you might want to add to your makeup kit to brighten a dull complexion. As purple is the opposite of yellow on the colour chart, it’s fabulous at cancelling out any unwanted yellow undertones.

Purple hues range from lilac to mauve – each working their magic to give your skin that sought-after healthy appearance. As with green concealers, the paler variety tends to be a better match for fair skin, while richer purples suit dark skin.

To apply, use a small amount as and when it’s needed before setting with a natural coloured foundation or powder.

Orange

The citrus member of the colour correcting family, orange concealers are your go-to if you want to add warm hues and a healthy glow to dull skin with naturally cooler tones.

They’re also great for covering up under-eye circles or age spots on olive and darker skin tones, providing a more natural finish than say a white or light concealer.

Don’t panic about wearing orange concealer though – far from being a bright orange tanning disaster, when it comes to concealer, you can find subtle shades of peach and salmon. And what’s more, if you mix a small amount of green concealer with orange, it helps to fade out blue-green veins and even tattoos.

Pink

Consider investing in a pink concealer if you’re looking to combat dark circles under your eyes or cancel out dark shadows around your mouth.

The opposite of green on the colour wheel, it makes perfect sense to use pink makeup on areas of the skin with greeny-looking blemishes or veins. However, if your dark shadows appear blue or purple in colour, it might be best to steer clear of pink concealer to avoid accentuating them further. If you still want to experiment, you could opt for a natural shade of concealer with subtle hints of pink instead – the last thing you want is a makeup disaster!

White and Neutral

Many of you will already be familiar with white concealers as they double up as highlighters. Although they can still hide the odd blemish and brighten dark circles, we recommend using these mainly as a highlighter.

Neutral concealers are an essential item in your beauty kit as not only do they work well on their own to combat blemishes and red patches, they’re also great for mixing with brightly-coloured correctors such as purple and green to blend them in and give you a more natural finish.

Yellow

Feeling tired all the time and want to hide the evidence? Yellow concealer could be just the thing you need. A popular choice with the stars, this complexion-brightening corrector adds warmth to your skin and helps you achieve a natural, healthy glow.

As yellow concealer includes red and orange hues – the complementary colours of purple and green on the colour wheel – it not only provides good general coverage, it’s also a great way of hiding blue bruises or dark under-eye circles.

Unlike other coloured concealers, you don’t necessarily need to go for a lighter shade of yellow just because you have fair skin. Many makeup experts buy yellow concealers as a palette, which gives you a wider range of hues to mix and experiment with.